MT1 > Human Disease Definitions 2 Flashcards
What is “descriptive epidemiology”?
Collecting data and describing occurrence of human diseases. May imply methods of disease detection.
What is “analytical epidemiology”?
Analysis of a particular disease using either “case control method” or “cohort method” (longitudinal study). Relies on statistical inferences.
What is “experimental epidemiology”?
Tests the effectiveness of a new drug/vaccine using appropriate scientific method.
What 3 components make up the epidemiological triad?
- Agent
- Host
- Vector
What are examples of the “agent” component of the triad?
Bacteria, Protozoa, Virus, Prions, Chemicals.
What are examples of the “host” component of the triad?
Humans, Animals, Plants, Bacteria.
What are examples of the “vector” component of the triad?
Ticks, Mosquitoes, Needles, Surgical devices.
What are some examples of techniques that can be used to detect an infectious agent?
PCR, Microarray, Elisa, Epi-fluorescence microscopy.
When was the first antibiotic discovered? What was it?
Penicillin discovered in 1928, and was in major use by the beginning of WWII.
What differentiates the attitudes of biologists from the attitudes of physicians re: infectious disease?
Biologists: consider infectious agents.
Physicians: consider symptoms and affected organs.
What percentage of world deaths are caused by communicable diseases? What about non-communicable diseases? Injury?
- Communicable disease: 32%
- Non-communicable disease: 58%
- Injury: 9%
What is the goal of epidemiology?
To prevent and control health risks faced by human populations.
What tools exist to control disease at the “Host” level of organization?
- Vaccines and toxoids
- Antibiotics
What tools exist to control disease at the “Environment” level of organization?
- Control vector via insecticide
- Hygienic procedures
- Genetic engineering to control disease gene expression
What did the traditional model of epidemiology stipulate regarding disease transmission?
Exposure > Disease
What does the new model of molecular epidemiology stipulate regarding disease transmission?
Exposure > Internal dose > Effective dose > Altered function > Disease > Prognosis
Give some reasons for why valid biomarkers are important in epidemiology.
- Delineates the continuum of events
- Identifies low-dose exposure
- Early identification
- Reduces misclassifications
- Identifies exposure mechanism
- Accounts for variability
- Enhanced assessment
What 3 major levels of organization are inherent to molecular epidemiology?
- Population (behaviour, environment)
- Organism (exposure, transmission)
- Cell (genetics, substrate, cell-cell communication)
T or F: levels of organization are only relevant to the infectious agent, and have no bearing on the host.
False. The level of organization of both the vector and the host (population, organism, cell) can impact all aspects of a disease.
What 4 major non-biological factors can play a role in human epidemiology?
- History
- Geography
- Social characteristics
- Status
What are the 5 phylogenies of pathogenic bacteria?
- Spirochetes
- Chlamydia
- Actinobacteria
- Firmicutes
- Proteobacteria
What is an example of an ssDNA (parvo) virus?
Teno torque.
What is an example of a hepadna virus?
Hepatitus virus.
What is an example of a pox virus?
Smallpox.
What is an example of a herpes virus?
Herpes.
What is an example of a picorna virus? (ssRNA)
Polio.
What is an example of an orthomyxo virus? (ssRNA)
Influenza.
What are the 7 baltimore classifications of viruses?
- dsDNA (+)
- ssDNA
- dsRNA (+)
- ssRNA virus (+)
- ssRNA (-)
- ssRNA retrovirus (+)
- dsDNA (-)
What is an example of a reovirus? (dsRNA)
Rota virus.
What are examples of enveloped, single-stranded RNA virus?
Influenza, measles, mumps.
